Comparative effects of beef heart, liver, and kidney inclusion on quality characteristics and consumer acceptability of ground beef patties

Abstract Consumer demand for beef products is driven by eating quality, affordability, and versatility. Creating value-added formulations that enhance nutritional density without compromising acceptability is a crucial part of product development. Organ meats are nutrient-dense beef byproducts that remain underutilized in U.S. food systems. Edible beef by-products contribute substantially to carcass value through domestic and export markets. Incorporating beef organs into ground beef blends may provide a value-added opportunity to enhance whole-animal utilization. Objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of beef heart, liver, or kidney at 15% inclusion on product quality and consumer acceptability of ground beef patties. Patties were formulated as control (no organ) or with heart, liver, or kidney and evaluated for cooking characteristics, instrumental color, objective tenderness, and consumer acceptance. Liver and kidney patties increased redness and chroma of raw and cooked patties (p < 0.0001). Moreover, liver and kidney patties reduced shear force and hardness compared to control and patties containing beef heart (p < 0.0001). Consumer panelists rated patties with kidney as juicier (p < 0.0001) and more tender (p = 0.0004). Sensory panelists scores report similar findings for control and heart patties for overall liking (p = 0.5208), appearance (p = 0.5823), aroma (p = 0.1756), and texture (p = 0.6387). A tendency (p = 0.0763) was observed for flavor with control and heart patties receiving higher flavor scores than the remaining treatments. Liver patties received the lowest scores for overall liking, flavor, and texture (p < 0.0001) compared to all other treatments. Results demonstrate that ground beef quality and consumer perception are influenced by organ type with beef heart maintaining characteristics like control patties. Among the organs evaluated, kidney inclusion provided the greatest improvements in juiciness and tenderness for beef patties but exhibited sensory challenges. Results indicate the need for further investigation to identify an optimal inclusion rate that maximizes eating quality and consumer acceptability. Formulation estimates suggest that replacing 15% of the beef trimmings with organ meat can reduce formulation cost while improving utilization of carcass components. Results suggest the potential for incorporating beef organs into ground beef as a value-added strategy to enhance sustainability and economic efficiency.